The NHL is overrun with high-profile rookies. But other less-heralded, yet still important, rookies will be playing tonight:

(Gary A. Vasquez, USA TODAY Sports)

Defenseman Hampus Lindholm (Anaheim Ducks)

At 19, he has played five games for the Ducks, averaged more than 19 minutes per game and is plus 9. He is looking for his sixth consecutive plus-game tonight against the Dallas Stars (8 p.m.).

In his first five NHL games, the Swedish defender has been plus 1, plus 1, plus 4, plus 1, plus 2.

Playing with veteran Francois Beauchemin, Lindholm has shown considerable poise. He has two assists. He played last season in American Hockey League, but his season was undermined by two concussions.

(Jerome Miron, USA TODAY Sports)

Right wing Alex Chiasson (Dallas Stars)

All of the preseason emphasis was on 2013 10th overall pick Valeri Nichushkin, but Chiasson is third on the team with six points in seven games this season. If you count the handful of games he played last season, the former second-round pick has nine goals in his first 14 NHL games.

He played three seasons at Boston University and then spent 66 games in the AHL before joining Dallas. Going into tonight’s game against Anaheim, the 6-4 Chiasson had 14 shots on goal in his past three games.

(Russell LaBounty, USA TODAY Sports)

Defenseman Ryan Murray (Columbus Blue Jackets)

A No. 2 overall draft pick usually attracts more notice, but Murray suffered a major shoulder injury last season and slipped out of the spotlight.

He is playing about 16 minutes a game for the Blue Jackets, and he has an even plus-minus. That might not seem impressive, but he’s playing on a team in which most of the defensemen are in the minus range.

If you watch Murray closely, you can see why scouts believe he will develop into a silky smooth defender.

(Charles LeClaire, USA TODAY Sports)

Defenseman Ryan Stanton (Vancouver Canucks)

No one had Stanton on their rookie watch list, but he has played nine games with the Canucks. He will play 14 or 15 minutes tonight against Columbus.

He is 24 and has been a solid performer this season, registering a goal, three assists and a plus-3 rating in his first nine NHL games.

He’s a three-season AHL veteran who was claimed off waivers from the Chicago Blackhawks.

(Jeff Griffith, USA TODAY Sports)

Mattias Ekholm (Nashville Predators)

He’s the other rookie defenseman in the Music City.

Sweden seems to be a defensemen factory. He’s 6-4,and had an exceptional season for Milwaukee in the AHL last season.

He has played close to 20 minutes a game for the Predators. In Winnipeg tonight, Ekholm will be looking to end a bad streak of four games of being on the ice for a goal.

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